In the Zhenguan Hall, Li Shimin talked about the important matter of the country that the crown prince's position was vacant, and looked at Wu Wang Li Ke, who was a talented person, with burning eyes, as if he was entrusting him. The civil and military officials of the court were waiting with bated breath. Li Chengqian and Li Tai, the popular candidates for the crown prince, were watching Li Ke's reaction closely. No one expected that this noble prince with the blood of two dynasties actually yawned and lazily refused: "Father, whoever wants to be the prince can take the position of prince. Anyway, it is not suitable for sons and daughters. Being an emperor is too tiring, and sons and daughters just want to be free and easy and wait for death."
As soon as this statement came out, the whole palace was in an uproar. Wei Zheng was so angry that his beard stood straight up. Changsun Wuji cursed secretly, "I'm a coward." Li Shimin was even more angry and suspicious. But Li Ke went his own way, and after the court was over, he took the Changsun brothers and went straight to Chunfeng Tower to talk about the "true meaning of salted fish" of "pushing Pai Gow and beating up dudes".
In the imperial study, Li Shimin and Changsun Wuji repeatedly speculated: Does Li Ke really have no ambitions, or is he just a fool who uses "cynicism" as a mask and pursues "self-preservation strategies"? A secret war over the throne had begun, but Li Ke, who was pushed to the forefront, was dealing with his father's temptations while adhering to the creed of "refuse to be the king of scrolls". In the whirlpool of power during the Zhenguan years, he found a path to "the free prince" that no one expected.
